The Ottawa free trader., 1887-10-15

to his feet anu ngnt!y clasping his ruffied
hands before him. "We must not keep
her waiting. Give her access, my dear
colonel, at once, and even as she came
alone"
The aide-de-camp bowed and withdrew.
In another moment the half opened door
swung wide to Mistress Thankful Bios
som.
She was so beautiful In her simple
riding dress, so quaint and original in
that very beauty, and, above all, so teem-
ing with a certain vital earnestness OF
purpose just positive and audacious
enough to set Off that beauty, that the
grave gentleman before her did not con-
tent himself with the usual formal in
clination Of courtesy, but actually ad-
vanced, and, taking her cold little hand
In his, graciously led her to the chair he
had Just vacated.
"Even II your name were not known to
me, Mistress Thankful" said the COM
mander-in-chief, looking down upon her
with grave politeness, mature has, me-
thinks, spared you tho necessity Of any
introduction to the courtesy of a gentle
man. But how can I especially serve
you"
Alackl the blaze Of Mistress Thankful's
brown eyes had become somewhat dimmed
In the grave half Lights Of the room, in
the graver, deeper dignity Of tho erect,
soldier like figure before her. The bright
color born Of the tempest within and with
out had somehow faded from her cheek;
the saucincss bogotten from bullying her
horse In the last half hours rapid ride
was 30 subdued by tho actual presence Of
the man she had come to bully that fear
she had to use all her self control to keep
down her inclination to whimper, and to
keep back the tears that, oddly enough,
rose TO her sweet eyes as she lifted them
TO the quietly critical yet placid glance Of
her interlocutOr.
II can readily conceive the motive of
this visit, Miss Thankful" continued
Washington, with q certain dignifed
kindliness that was more rcassuring than
the formal gallantry Of the period; land
1t Is, l protest, to your credit. A fathers
welfare, however erring and weak that
father may be, Is most seemly in a
maiden"-
Thankful's eyes flashed again rs she
rose to her feet. Hcr upper lip, that had
moment before trembled In pretty in
fantine distress, now stiffened and curled
as she confronted the dignifed figure be-
fore her. "It Is not of my father would
speak, " she said ssucily: ~ did not ride
here alone tonight, in this weather, to
talk Of him; warrant he can speak for
himself. came here to speak Of myself,
Of lies-ay, lies told Of me, poor girl;
ay, of cowardly gossip about me and my
sweetheart, Capt. Brewster, now confined
in prison because he hath loved me, q lass
without politics or adherence to the cause
AS II 'twere necessary every lad should
ask the confidence or permission Of your
self or, belike, my Lady Washington, in
his preferences.
She paused q moment, ont Of breath.
With o woman's Quickness OF intuition
she saw the change in Washington's face
saw certain cold severity overshadow
ing it. With woman's fateful per-
sistency-a persistency which l humbly
suggest might, on occasion, be honorably
copied by our more polite seX-she went
ON to say what was In her, even If she
were obliged, with a woman's honorable
inconsistency, to unsay 1t In an hour or
two later; an inconsistency which I also
humbly protest might be as honorably
initiated by us-on occasion.
"It has been said," said Thankful Bios
som quickly, "that my father has given
entertainment knowingly to two spies
two spies that, begging your excellency's
pardon and the pardon Of congress, I
know only as two honorable gentlemen
who have as honorably rendered me their
affections. 1t is said, and basely and
most falsely too, that my sweetheart,
Capt. Allan Brewster, has lodged this In
formation. have ridden here to deny 1t,
l have ridden here to demand Of you that
an honest wOman's reputation shall not
be sacrificed to the interests Of politics;
that a prying mob of ragamuf1ins shall
not be sent to an honest farmers house to
spy and spy-and turn poor girl out of
doors that they might do it, TITS shame
full, so it is; therel tits most scandalous,
80 it is; there, nowl Spies, indeedl what
are they, pray'"
In the Indignation which the recollec-
tion of her wrongs had slowly gathered in
her, from the beginning Of this speech,
she had advanced her face, rosy with
courage and beautiful in Its imperti-
nence, within few inches of the dignilied
features and quiet gray eyes Of the great
commander To her utter stupefaction
he bent his head and kissed her, with a
grave benignity, full on the center of her
audacious forehead.
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